Return ball packaging machine



May 14, 1957 Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 FIG. I

A. E. COLLINS RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. ARTHUR E. COLLINS BY QM -i- ATTORNEYS y 14, 1957 A. E. COLLINS 2,791,873

RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Fild Sept. 9, 1.954 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR E. COLLINS ATTORNEYS May 14, 1957 A. E. COLLINS RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. ARTHUR E. COLLINS ATTORNEYS y 4, 1957 A. E. COLLINS 2,791,873

RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 vllulllilo. "I,

INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. COLLINS ATTOR N EYS FIG. 6

y 4, 1957 A. E. COLLINS 2,791,873

RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 s5 10 v I33 40 56 I35 135 m\\v-'2\\\\\\\\\\ g I I I FIG. 8 a g 1 24 5 I I (IO W W M k we lea-g? j 481 INVENTOR. -|o |6ARTHUR E. COLLINS BY ygmrfmm ATTORNEYS y 1957 A. E. COLLINS 2,791,873

RETQRN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 56 FIG. IO

/'/I II L 7 L l FIG. n

I: .fi 4o i l\\ l 7 INVENTOR. ARTHUR s. COLLINS -|o ATTORNEYS 4, 1957 A. E. COLLINS 2,791,873

RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 K INVENTOR. I35 I30 ARTHUR E. COLLINS I3] 1: BY 2% fi 7mm FIG. l4

ATTORNEYS y 4, 1957 A. E. COLLINS RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR. ARTHUR E.COLLIN$ BY 29, mkfoolo-n ATTORNEYS RETURN BALL PACKAGING MACHINE Arthur E. Collins, Rockville, Conn., assignor to The Barr Rubber Products Company, Sandusky, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application September 9, 1954, Serial No. 454,994, now Patent No. 2,717,691, dated September 13, 1955. Divided and this application April 20, 1955, Serial No. 505,399

18 Claims. (Cl. 53-116) The present invention relates to packaging machinery and particularly to a machine for packaging articles known in the toy field as return balls.

Soft rubber return balls have for years been a staple article in the toy field. They are small rubber balls with long elastic threads attached and a suitable for use as a toy by themselves or in connection with paddles or bats to which the free end of the elastic thread is attached. These soft rubber return balls easily become soiled with handling. It is necessary for marketing purposes that return balls be suitably individually packaged to avoid great wastage due to consumer rejection of dirty or even slightly soiled balls or elastics.

Design of high speed automatic packaging equipment to operate on resilient balls with long, highly-elastic threads trailing therefrom presents obvious problems arising from the necessity of handling the articles by the series of rapid successive motions, which are necessary to processing on a volume basis. Heretofore, no packaging machinery has been developed which overcomes the tendency of the balls to jam and the threads to tangle in the course of their rapid handling in the packaging operation. Accordingly, such packaging operations have been heretofore performed manually or semi-manually, and the cost of packaging alone has represented a disproportionate share of the manufacturing cost of the articles.

The object of the present invention is to provide means which will package return balls on a high-speed, fully automatic basis without jamming or catching of the articles being packaged, and to thereby make possible more economical manufacture of marketable return balls.

The broad object of the invention is accomplished by providing for gripping engagement of a return ball and a piece of web in which the ball is to be packaged between two rotating members, while also providing a ball-receiving bushing or receptacle, whereby the elastic thread associated with the ball is wound around the side of the ball near the piece of Web, the two rotating members and the bushing then being translated axially with respect to each other to plug" the wound ball and its associated web piece into the receptacle for a subsequent final wrapping operation, all as fully disclosed below.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the lower portion of a machine embodying the invention, the very centermost portion of this view being in section taken on line 1-1 in Figure 3, and certain mechanism illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 being omitted from the lower right portion of Figure l for purposes of clarity;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken below the level of the turntable shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in Figure 2;

nitecl States Patent ice Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the unloading station, this view being taken from just below the level of the turntable shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 in Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line 99 in Figure 8; v

Figure 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 in Figure 2;

Figure 11 is a section taken on line 11--11 in Figure 2;

Figure 12 is a section taken on line 12-12 in Figure 1;

Figure 13 is a section taken on line 13-13 in Figure 1;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary vertical section at the ball loading station;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary section taken on line 1515 in Figure 1;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at the unloading station;

Figure 17 is a view of certain mechanism located at the lower right portion of Figure 1, but omitted from that view for purposes of clarity;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 1818 in Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 19-19 in Figure 17.

In order to facilitate and condense description of the invention, the following discussion of the drawings will specify reference numerals for the various parts and in parentheses will specify by number the figure or figures of the drawings in which such reference numerals may be found. For example, input shaft 15 (l, 2) signifies that the particular part referred to is given the reference numeral 15 and is to be conveniently found in Figures 1 and 2.

Power and control linkage The mechanism as a whole is supported on a frame and table structure 10, which appears in all the drawings. The input shaft 15 (l, 2) is supported in this frame, and, through the screw wheels 16 and 17 (2, l5), drives a main cam shaft 20 (2, 15) on which are mounted the cams 22, 23, 24, and 26 (2). At the far end of the main cam shaft 20 is mounted a bevel gear 27. About midway along the length of the main cam shaft 24 is geared a screw wheel 28 which drives a corresponding screw wheel 25 (7) on at Geneva drive power shaft 30 (2, 7). Fixed on the shaft 30 is a cam 31 and a Geneva drive element 32 (2, 8). The drive element 32 engages a Geneva gear 33 which is secured to the turntable 40. The turntable is supported for rotation on a fixed central flanged hub assembly 34 (2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11).

Turntable organization and directly associated linkages In the following description, three stations are referred to which may be designated as station I, or the web-feed station; station II, or the ball loading station; and station III, or the final wrap and unload station. These stations are labeled in Figure 1.

Around the turntable 40 are mounted a series of clamps 52 (l, 3, 4, 11, 12), each clamp 52 being supported by a toggle 53 (4); each toggle 53 is biased in one of its two extreme positions by a spring 54 and is operatively connected with its associated clamp 52 by a connecting arm 55.

Extending up from the base or table 10 is a central hollow column 56 (1, 4, 5, 7,.8) which supports a drill press structure, including a motor 57 (3) and a power linkage to a drill head, belts 58 and central sheaves 59. A toothed drill lever wheel 60 also forms part of this conventional drill press structure, and, through a spur gear 62 and a succeeding linkage (including a rack and pinion connection), the wheel controls raising and lowering of the drill spindle 63 in the manner which is conventional in drill presses. The sheaves 59 are keyed to a central shaft (4, 5, 7, 8), which is driven in order to power means to be described below.

The bevel gear 27 at the end of the main cam shaft 20 meshes with a bevel gear 41 (l, 2, 3) on a shaft mounted within a long bushing 42. To this shaft is fixed a bell crank 43, which, through a push rod 44 actuates a conventional one-way intermittent grip drive in the form of a pawl lever and ratchet wheel, generally indicated at 45 1). This intermittent drive communicates through a belt drive shaft 46 with a belt drive roll 47. This roll intermittently advances an endless belt 48 (l, 2, 3, 6) which also passes over an idler roll 49. The belt is supported in its upper pass by a belt support plate 50.

Within the hollow column 56 is a dumbbell-shaped member (4, 7). The slots 71 (1, 4 7'2 (1) and 73 (4, 5) are provided in the hollow column 56, and, through these slots, protrude corresponding extensions 74, 75 and 76. Depending fingers 77 and 78 are provided on extensions 74 and 75, respectively (3). Extension 76 is connected to a cam follower arm 79 (4) by a short link. A follower on this arm is in following engagement with the cam 25.

Station I-web-feed station A frame and cover structure 80 is provided at station I, the general top level of this frame structure being just above the level of the turntable 40 (l, 12, 13). Through the spur gear 81 (2, 12) on the input shaft 15 and the spur gears 82 and 83 (12), a shaft 84 is constantly driven. Mounted on this shaft is an eccentric roll 85 (13). A slot 86 is provided in the top surface of the frame 80. A yoke 87 (1, 12, 13), which may be provided with a finger grip 88, is fixed to a shaft 89, which, in turn, is pivotally mounted on the frame 80. Also fixed to the shaft 89 is a small lever having a thumb screw 90 at its outer end. A yoke roll or idler roll 93 (1, l2, 13) is rotatably mounted between the ends of the yoke 87.

Fixed to a shaft 96, which is pivotally mounted 'on the frame 80, is a knife 91 (1, l0, l2, 13). In following engagement with the cam 23 is a cam follower 94 (2, 10) mounted on a cam follower arm 9 5 1, 2, 10), which, together with the knife 91, is keyed for oscillation with the shaft 96. A counter-weight 97 (2, 10) at the free end of the cam follower arm 95 urges the knife to closed position under control of the cam 23. A compression spring 92 (-l, 12) urges the shaft 96 to the right, as 'seen in Figure 12, to hold the knife 91 in close, but cushioned, contact with the associated cutting edge of the frame 80.

A web 100 (l, 10, 11, l2, 13) of cellophane or other desired packaging material is supplied from a fe'edroll mounted on a bracket 101 (1, 12), the web being fed over a suitable guide roll 102 (1, 12, 13).

A cam follower 106 (2, 11) is in following engagement with the cam 22. The cam follower 106 is mounted on a cam follower arm 107, which is preferably provided with a counterweight "108. A shaft 109, rotatably mounted within the housing 80, is keyed to the arm 107. The other end of the shaft 109 is keyed to an arm 110, which is coupled through a link 111 (11) to a bell crank 112. The bell crank 112 is pivoted on a bracket which is fixed to the hollow column 56. The bell crankis connected through a lost motion connection with a link 113, which, in'turn, is connected to a sliding finger 115 (ll, 12), the finger 115 being slidingly supported in 'a suitable bushing mounted on the bracket 105. The finger 115 is solocated that when it is depressed it will actuate a toggle 53, then at station I, to clamp-closed position, as will be clear from Figure 12.

Station II-ball loading station Lower rotatable support-A cam follower 12 0 (2, 8) mounted 'on-a bell crank 121 is infollowing engage ment with the cam 24. The bell crank 121 is pivotally mounted on the fixed central flanged hub assembly 34 at pivot point 134. Through a link 122 (2, 8, 9) the bell crank 121 is connected to a crank 123 fixed on a shaft 124. The shaft rotates in bushings 125 (9). A yoke 128 (8, 9) is keyed for rotation with the shaft 124 by means of a key 127 (9) received in a keyway 126. The yoke 128 engages a slot 129 (8, 9) in a freely rotatable support assembly 130 (2, 8, 9), which assembly is sup ported for rotation and reciprocation in a pillow block 131 (2, 8). The cam follower crank 121 is suitably biased for following engagement by a spring 132 (8). The top of the rotating support assembly 130 is formed as a ball support 135 (8) which is adapted to be raised into one of a plurality of holes or openings 133 in the turntable 40.

Swinging loading arm.-The mechanism illlustrated in Figures 17 and 18 has been illustrated from the lowcr right hand portion of Figure 1 for purposes of clarity. The source of power for the entire turntable linkage actually originates through the input driver 137 (17, 18), which, through spur gears 138 and 139, sprocket 140, chain 141 and sprocket 142, drives the input shaft 15. Mounted on the end of the input shaft 159 is a bevel gear 143 and a cam 144. The bevel gear 143 meshes with a bevel gear 145 on a vertical shaft 146. The top end of this shaft is supported by a suitable shaft support extension 148. The cam 147 is keyed on the shaft 146.

An am 150, with an attached shank 149, is mounted with the shank supported for rotation around a vertical axis with the ends of the shank guided for sliding movement by the sockets or guides 151, these guides being fixed to any suitable frame members. The tail of the arm 150 is provided with a slot 152 which receives a pin 153, which, in turn, is mounted on an arm 154 keyed to a vertical shaft 155. Also keyed to this shaft is a follower arm 156 having a follower 157 in engagement with the cam 147. The top of the shaft is rotatably mountedat the end of a fixed bracket structure 158. A cam follower 164, in following engagement with the cam 144, is mounted at the end of a bell crank keyed to the horizontal shaft'165. The other end of this shaft is keyed with a yoke arm 166, the outer end of which is engaged in the slot near the center portion of the shank 149, in the manner illustrated in the drawings. A suitable spring constantly urges the swinging arm 150 to inboard position, that is, to the solid line position shown in Figure 17.

The outer end of thearm 150 is provided with a socket or holesurrounde'd by a guide structure 167 l4, l7, 19). The main body 167 of the guide structure is supplemented by a top flange or lip 168 and a finger 169 to aid in guiding the elastic thread onto the ball as it is being wound and particularly to prevent backlash and consequent fouling of the elastic thread.

Upper linka'g'e .-The lower end of the spindle 63 is fitted with a ball-engaging member 160 (3, 14). A cam follower 161 2, 3) is in following engagement with the cam 26 on "the main cam shaft 20. Cam follower 161 is mounted on a bell crank 162, which is connected through a link 163 to the drill lever wheel 60. The intermediate dwell of the cam 26, as shown in Figure 3, is adapted to lower the member 160 into initial contact with a ball, as shown in Figire 14, at loading station II. The'high dwell of the'c'am '26 is adaptedto further lower the member 160 to push the previously contacted ball into the corres'pon'dingliole 133in the turntable 40, so that, upon indexin'g of the turntable, the ball will appear as shown in Figure '15. It will be understood that the function of the cam linkage 120--130 is to insure that the ball support is lowered out of the way when the turntable 40 indexes. Accordingly, it is not necessary that the profile of the cam 24 correspond to'the sharply defined dwells of the cam 26, because the cam follower 120is free to be biased out of earn following contact against the force of the spring 132 in order to accommodate forcing down of a ball upon the member 135.

Station lIl-final wrap and unloading station Within a fixedly mounted housing 170 (2, 3, 6, 16) is received a movable ring 173 retained by a cover flange 172. An integral arm 174 extends through a slot to one side of the housing 170. A plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 175 (6, 16) are provided in the movable ring 173. These slots 175 receive pins 176 fixed to the ends of German blades 177, which blades, at their opposite ends, pivot on pivot pins 178 fixed to the lower flange of the housing 179. Thus, this structure comprises an adjustable opening means which is mechanically similar to the diaphragm adjustment used in a variety of applications, particularly in photographic equipment.

Power taken off from the lower end of the shaft 65 is transmitted through a belt 180 (2, 3), shaft 181 and belt 182 to a pulley sheave 183, which rotates with a hollow shaft 185 (16), which shaft is received within a housing 184 (3). Fixed within the hollow shaft 185 is an inner sleeve 186 (16) provided with a plurality of ridges 187 to provide firm gripping of balls which are forced into the bore of this inner sleeve.

Shifting of the arm 174 to control the adjustment of the squeeze-off means is controlled by the cam 31 on the Geneva drive power shaft 30. A cam follower 190 (2) mounted on a bell crank 191 and suitably biased in following engagement by a spring 192 is in following engagement with the cam 31. The bell crank 191 is connected to the arm 174 by a link 193 (1, 2, 3, 6).

Operation As each clamp 52 arrives at station I, it is in open position. As its associated socket or hole 133 is brought to rest at station I, the eccentric roll 85 approaches that fraction of its revolution which brings it into engagement, through the web 100, with the idler roll 93. The angular measure of this engagement depends on the setting of the thumb screw 90. As the yoke 87 is raised, such engagement will be diminished, thus diminishing the length of web which is fed on each revolution of the roll 85.

A length of the web 100, measured in accordance with the above adjustable drive, is fed under the knife 91 and onto the turntable over the then indexed hole or opening 133 and under the associated clamp 52. The clamp 52 is then lowered through the action of the member 115 controlled by the cam 20. Immediately thereafter, the knife 91 is actuated by its control linkage to cut off the measured amount of web.

The web piece, in position over its associated hole 133,

is then successively advanced until it arrives at ball loading station II. As it arrives at this station, the arm 150 swings into the solid line position shown in Figure 17, clearing the top of the turntable 40 by a slight distance. The arm 15!) is then lowered onto the table 40 by the linkage controlled by the cam 144 and comprising the yoke arm 166, in a manner which will be apparent from the drawings. The ball, held by the arm 150, is supported in position by light engagement with the member 167. Thereupon, the associated clamp is released by the finger 77 under control of the cam 25.

The rotating ball-engaging member 160 is then lowered an initial amount under control of the cam 26, and the rotatable ball support 135 is raised under control of the cam 24. As the rotating member 160 engages the ball and clamps it against the rotatable member 135, the thread is quickly wound in a tight spiral around the bottom side of the ball, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. The thread is guided by the finger 169 and the flange 168, and any tendency of the thread to whip out of position is counteracted by these members. When winding of the thread has been completed, the cam 26 advances the rotating memher 160 an additional amount, forcing the wound ball into the' associated hole 133, establishing a preliminary Wrap of the web piece around the ball, such wrap being preliminary in the sense that it does not constitute a self-sustaining wrapping. The cam 24 and associated linkage yieldingly lower the rotatable member to accommodate such plugging or lowering of the ball. The cam 25 thereupon raises the member 160 away from the turntable, while the cam 24 simultaneously lowers the member 130 from the turntable. At this stage, the elements are ready for indexing to the next position.

Meanwhile, the arm is swung to the phantom position shown in Figure 17. In this position a succeeding ball is loaded onto the arm either manually or by suitable automatic means. The thread is left trailing over the side of the arm as shown. As an example of a suitable automatic feed, the ball may be dropped into position in the member 167 from the end of a feed chute (not shown) having a center slot through which ball threads depend, the end of the feed chute having suitable escapement detents to release one ball at a time in proper sequence with the positioning of the arm 150.

The particular ball and its associated web are successively advanced until they are indexed at ball unloading station III, where they are positioned directly over the constantly rotating inner sleeve 186. The ball at this station is thereupon pushed through the blades 177 and into the rotating sleeve 186 by the member 78 under control of the cam 25. Immediately thereafter, the blades 177 are swung to closed position under control of the cam 31. The continuously rotating sleeve 186 rotates the ball while the upper non-ball-engaging portions of the web piece are engaged and brought together by the blades 177, thus causing the web piece to tightly wrap the ball, in the manner clearly shown in Figure 16. The blades 177 are thereafter caused to open, and the turntable 40 indexes, leaving the now tightly wrapped ball within the sleeve 186, to be ejected therefrom onto the belt 43 by the succeeding ball.

Reference is hereby made to parent application Serial No. 454,994, filed September 9, 1954, now U. S. Patent No. 2,717,691, issued September 13, 1955. The present application is a divisional application with respect to the aforesaid parent application.

While the above disclosure specifies the precise details of an embodiment of the invention successfully practiced and tested by me, it will be apparent that numerous variations in detail may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited to the precise details of the illustrated embodiment of the invention but is defined by the following claims. In the following claims, the term preliminary wrap refers to a wrap that is preliminary in the sense that it does not constitute a self-sustaining wrapping, and the term finalize refers to conversion of a preliminary wrap into a self-sustaining wrapping.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for web-Wrapping elastic return balls provided with elastic threads comprising indexing means having at least one socket therein, means to drive said indexing means to advance said socket from a ball-loading station to a ball-unloading station and thereupon back to said ball-loading station, said socket being open at top and bottom and having internal dimensions such that the return balls to be packaged are releasably wedged in said socket when placed therein, means to releasably clamp over said socket at said ball-loading station a piece of web in which a ball is to be wrapped, means to position a ball at said ball-loading station over said socket with the hall thread trailing to one side, rotatable support means extendable through said socket from the bottom side there of to support the ball underside through said piece of web, means to unclamp said piece of web at said ball loading station, rotating means above said ball at said ball-loadmg station, linkage means to lower said rotating means an initial amount to engage said ball to turn said ball and wind the trailing ball thread around the ball and to subsequently further lower said rotating means to force the ball into said socket with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said socket, means providing for lowering of said rotatable support means during said subsequent further lowering of said rotating means to accommodate such subsequent further lowering and to thereupon withdraw said rotatable support means from said socket, said linkage means including means to raise said rotating means to withdraw said rotating means from said socket, a hollow rotating member having an open center of suflicient dimensions to allow said ball to be pushed therethrough in frictional engagement therewith, said member being positioned below said indexing means at said unloading station, drive means to advance said indexing means to position said socket at said unloading station directly over said open center in spaced relation therefrom, mnlti-bladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial with said socket when said socket is indexed at said unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said socket through said constricting means into said open centerand force a previously wrapped ball therefrom, means to thereupon close said restricting means to draw together the free edges of said web piece and cause the portions of the web piece adjacent said free edges to be twisted, whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machine.

2. A return ball packaging machine comprising a table having openings therein adapted to be indexed at a ballunloading station, ball-handling means to wrap successive return balls to be packaged with their associated elastic threads and to stulf them, together with associated web pieces in which they are to be packaged, into successive openings presented by said table to said ballhandling means to establish a preliminary packaging of each ball prior to indexing to said ball-unloading station, a rotating member in spaced relationship with said table at said ball-unloading station, said rotating member having a hollow bore coaxial with openings indexed at said station, the dimensions of said bore allowing passage of balls therethrough but providing frictional engagement with said balls, multi-bladed constricting means between said rotating member and said table and coaxial with said bore, and means to push preliminarily packaged balls from said openings indexed at said station through said constricting means and into said bore and to thereupon momentarily close said constricting means whereby previously packaged balls are'ejected from said bore and non-ball-engaging portions of said web pieces are engaged and gathered by said constricting means and are twisted by the interaction of said constricting means and said rotating means to complete packaging of each ball.

3. A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having openings extending therethrough, means to drive said indexing means in a circuit of several stations and to index said openings at said several stations, said stations including a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to securely position a piece of web in which a ball is to be wrapped on said indexing means each time said indexing means is indexed at said webloading station, means at said ball-loading station to position a return ball on a previously positioned webpiece on said indexing cleans and thereupon wind the elastic thread of the return wall around the ball and then tuck the web piece and thread-wrapped ball together into one of said openings each time said indexing means is indexed at said ball-loading station, and means at said ballunloading station to release a previously deposited threadwrapped ball, together with its associated web piece, from one of said openings and to twist the non-ball-engaging portions of said web piece and to support a ball so wrapped forejection from the machine by a subsequent ball received at said ball-unloading station each time said indexing means is indexed at said ball-unloading station.

4. A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having at least one opening therein, means to drive said indexing means to index said opening at a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means to provide a flat piece of web over said opening when said opening is indexed to said ball-loading station, means at said ball-loading station to releasably position a ball over said opening, turning means comprising upper and lower elements coaxial with said opening when said opening is indexed to said ball-loading station to engage a ball and associated web piece from both above and below to wind the elastic thread associated with said ball on said ball and means to thereafter shift said turning means axially into said opening to plug the wrapped ball and its associated web piece into said opening to establish a preliminary wrap of said ball, and to thereafter raise said upper elements and lower said lower elements to clear said table to allow indexing of said table to said ball-unloading station, and means at said ball-unloading station to complete wrapping of the bull and to cause the wrapped ball to be subsequently ejected from said machine.

57 A machine for wrapping return balls comprising an indexing table, a plurality of equally angularly spaced openings through said table, means to drive said table to index each of said openings successively at a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to feed a length of web over the one of said openings which is indexed at said web-loading station and releasably clamp said length of web and sever said length of web from the web supply, means at said ball-loading station to unclamp said length of web and deposit a ball to be wrapped on it directly over the one of said openings associated therewith and thereupon twist said ball while rotatably supporting it from below through said one of said openings and thereupon force said ball into said one of said openings whereby said length of web is partially wrapped around said ball and said ball and its associated web are carried in said one of said openings to said ball-unloading station upon subsequent indexing of said table, twisting means below said table at said ball-unloading station to receive balls and associated lengths of web and twist each length of web'tightly around its associated ball, and means at said ball-unloading station to push said ball from said one of said openings into said twisting means to deposit said ball and associated web therein and expel from said machine the ball and web just previously deposited therein.

6. A return ball wrapping machine including worksupporting indexing means comprising a table having at least one opening therethrough of a size to allow balls which are to .be wrapped to be pushed therethrough while being lightly frictionally gripped by the sides of said opening, means to advance said opening past a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to position a flat piece of web over said opening, means at said ballloading station to wind a ball with its associated thread over said opening and over said piece of web and thereupon push said wound ball against said piece of web and into the top of said opening to plug said wound ball and piece of web in the opening and maintain a preliminary wrap of said ball, twisting means at said ballunloading station to finalize wrapping of said ball, and means at said ball-unloading station to push said ball out of the bottom of said opening into said twisting means.

7. A return ball wrapping machine including worksupporting indexing means comprising a table having at least one opening therethrough of a size to allow balls which are :to be wrapped to be pushed therethrough While being lightly frictionally gripped by the sides of said opening, means to advance said opening past a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a bail-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to position a flat piece of web over said opening, means at said ball-loading station to wind a ball with its associated thread over said opening and over said piece of web and thereupon push said wound ball against said piece of web and into the top of said opening to plug said wound ball and piece of web in the opening and maintain a preliminary wrap of said ball, a hollow rotating member having an open center of sufiicient dimensions to allow said ball to be pushed therethrough in frictional engagement therewith, said member being positioned below said opening and in spaced relationship with said table at said unloading station, multi-bladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial with said opening when said opening is indexed at said ball-unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said opening through said constricting means into said open center and to force a previously wrapped ball therefrom, means to thereupon momentarily close said restricting means to dnaw together non-ball-engaging portions of said web piece and cause said portions to twist whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machine.

8. A return ball wrapping machine comprising a table having at least one opening therethrough of a size to allow balls which are to be wrapped to be pushed thercthrough while being lightly frictionally gripped by the sides of said opening, means to index said opening at a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means to provide a fiat piece of web over said opening when said opening is indexed to said ball-loading station, means at said ballloading station to releasably position a ball over said opening, turning means comprising upper and lower elements coaxial with said opening to engage a ball and associated web piece from both above and below to wind the elastic thread associated with said ball on said ball and means to thereafter shift said turning means axially into said opening to plug the wrapped ball and its associated web piece into said opening to establish a preliminary wrap of said ball, and to thereafter raise said upper elements and lower said lower elements to clear said table to allow indexing of said table to said ballunloading station, twisting means at said ball unloading station to finalize wrapping of said ball, and means at said ball unloading station to push said ball out of the bottom of said opening into said twisting means.

9; A return ball wrapping machine comprising a table having at least one opening therethrough of a size to allow balls which are to be wrapped to be pushed therethrough while being lightly frictionally gripped by the sides of said opening, means to index said opening at a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means to provide a fiat piece of web over said opening when said opening is indexed to said ball-loading station, means at said ballloading station to releasably position a ball over said opening, turning means comprising upper and lower elements coaxial with said opening to engage a hall and associated web piece from both above and below to wind the elastic thread associated with said ball on said ball and means to thereafter shift said turning means axially into said opening to plug the wrapped ball and its associated web piece into said opening to establish a preliminary wrap of said ball, and to thereafter raise said upper elements and lower said lower elements to clear said table to allow indexing of said table to said ball-unloading station, a hollow rotating member having an open center of sufiicient dimensions to allow said ball to be pushed therethrough in frictional engagement therewith, said member being positioned below said opening and in spaced relationship with'said table at said unloading station, muJltibladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial with said opening when said opening is indexed at said ball-unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said opening through said constricting means into said open center and to force a previously Wrapped ball therefrom, means to thereupon momentarily close said restricting means to draw together non-ball-engaging portions of said web piece and cause said portions to twist whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machine.

10. A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having openings extending therethrough, means to drive said indexing means in a circuit of sevenal stations and to index said openings at said several stations, said stations including a \vebloading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to securely position a piece of web in which a ball is to be wrapped on said indexing means each time said indexing means is indexed at said webloading station, means at said ball-loading station to position a return ball on a previously positioned web piece on said indexing means and thereupon wind the elastic thread of the return ball around the ball and then tuck the web piece and thread-wrapped b all together into one of said openings each time said indexing means is indexed at said ball-loading station, a hollow rotating member having an open center of sufficient dimensions to allow'said ball to be pushed therethrough in frictional engagement therewith, said member being positioned below said opening and in spaced relationship with said indexing means at said unloading station, multi-bladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial wi'th said opening when said opening is indexed at said ball-unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said opening through said constricting means into said open center and to force a previously wrapped b-all therefrom, means to thereupon momentarily close said restricting means to draw together non-balLengaging portions of said web piece and cause said portions to twist whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from. said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machinev 11.'A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having openings extending therethrough, means to drive said indexing means in a circuit of several stations and to index said openings at said several stations, said stations including a web-loading station, a ballloading station and a ball-unloading station, means at said web-loading station to securely position a piece of web in which a ball is to be wrapped on said indexing means each time said indexing means is indexed at said web-loading station, means at said bail-loading station to position a ball over the one of said openings indexed at said ball-loading station with the ball thread trailing to one side, rotatable support means extendable through said opening from the bottom side thereof to support the ball underside through said piece of web, rotating means above said ball at said ball-loading station, linkage means to lower said rotating means an initial amount to engage said ball to turn said ball and wind the trailing ball thread around the ball and to subsequently further lower said rotating means to force the ball into said opening with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said opening, means providing for lowering of said rotatable support means during said subsequent further lowering of said rotating means to accommodate such subsequent further lowering and to thereupon withdraw said rotatable support means from said opening, said linkage means including means to withdraw said rotating means from said opening, and means at said ballunloading station to release a previously deposited threadwrapped ball, together with its associated web piece, from one of said openings and to twist the non-ball-engaging portions of said web piece and to support a ball so wrapped for ejection from the machine by a subsequent ball received at said ball-unloading station each time said indexing means is indexed at said ball-unloading station.

12. A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having at least one socket therein, said socket being open at top and bottom, means to drive said indexing means to index said socket at a web-loading station, a ball-loading station, and a ball-unloading station, websevering means at said web-loading station, drive means to advance a web through said web-severing means onto said indexing means and over said socket when said socket is positioned at said web-loading station, means to thereupon clamp said web over said socket, means to thereupon actuate said severing means to leave over said socket a severed piece of web, said drive means including a first powered roll extending transversely across said web and mounted for eccentric rotation about an axis parallel to its central axis, means supporting said web in the vicinity of said first roll, an opening in said supporting means through which said first roll extends during a portion of each revolution, 21 second idler roll extending transversely across said web on the opposite side of said web from said first roll, means to yieldingly position .said second roll at varying distances from the axis of rotation of said first roll to selectively vary the duration of driving engagement between said rolls and said web for each revolution of said first roll, means at said ball-loading station to unclamp said web piece and to pack a ball within said socket with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said socket, and means at said ball unloading station to complete wrapping of the ball and to cause the wrapped ball to be subsequently ejected from said machine.

13. A return ball wrapping machine comprising indexing means having at least one socket therein, said socket being open at top and bottom and having internal dimensions such that the return balls to be packaged are releasably wedged in said socket when placed therein, means to advance said indexing means through a circuit of several stations and to index said sockets at said several stations, said stations including a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, webseveriug means at said web-loading station, drive means to advance a web through said web-severing means onto said indexing means over said socket when said socket is positioned at said web-loading station, means to thereupon releasably clamp said web over said socket, means to thereupon actuate said severing means to leave over said socket a severed piece of web, said drive means including a first powered roll extending transversely across said web and mounted for eccentric rotation about an axis parallel to its central axis, means supporting said Web in the vicinity of said first roll, an opening in said supporting means through which said first roll extends during a portion of each revolution, a second idler roll extending transversely across said Web on the opposite side of said web from said first roll, means to yieldingly position said second roll at varying distances from the axis of rotation of said first roll to selectively vary the duration of driving engagement between said rolls and said web for each revolution of said first roll, means to position a ball at said ball-loading station over said socket with the ball thread trailing to one side, rotatable support means extendable through said socket from the bottom side thereof to support the ball underside through said piece of web, means to unclamp said piece of web at said ball-loading station, rotating means above said ball at said ball-loading station, linkage means to lower said rotating means an initial amount to engage said ball to turn said ball and wind the trailing ball thread around the ball and to subsequently further lower said rotating means to force the ball into said socket with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said socket, means providing for lowering of said rotatable support means during said subsequent further lowering of said rotating means to accommodate such subsequent further lowering and to thereupon withdraw said rotatable support means from said socket, said linkage means including means to raise said rotating means to withdraw said rotating means from said socket, a hollow rotating member having an open center of sufficient dimensions to allow said ball to be pushed thcrethrough in frictional engagement therewith, said member being positioned below said indexing means at said unloading station, drive means to advance said indexing means to position said socket at said unloading station directly over said open center in spaced relation therefrom, multibladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial with said socket when said socket is indexed at said unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said socket through said constricting means into said open center and to force a previously wrapped ball therefrom, means to thereupon close said restricting means to draw together the free edges of said web piece and cause the portions of the web piece adjacent said free edges to be twisted, whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machine.

14. A return ball wrapping machine comprising a table having at least one opening therein, means to drive said table to index said opening at a web-loading station, a ballloading station and a ball-unloading station, means to position a web section over said opening each time it is indexed at said web-loading station, means at said ballloading station to wrap a ball with its associated thread and pack said ball with its associated web piece within said opening with said associated web piece surrounding the bottom of said ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said opening to establish a preliminary wrap, twisting means at said ball-unloading station to finalize wrapping of said ball, and means at said ballunloading station to push said ball out of the bottom of said opening into said twisting means.

15. A return ball wrapping machine comprising a table having at least one opening therein, means to drive said table to index said opening at a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading station, means to position a web section over said opening each time it is indexed at said web-loading station, means at said ball-loading station to wrap a ball with its associated thread and pack said ball with its associated web piece within said opening with said associated web piece surrounding the bottom of said ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said opening to establish a preliminary wrap, twisting means below said table at said ball-unloading station to receive balls and associated lengths of web and twist each length of web tightly around its associated ball, and means at said ball-unloading station to push said ball from said one of said openings into said twisting means to deposit said ball and associated Web therein and expel from said machine the ball and web just previously deposited therein.

16. A return ball wrapping machine comprising a table having at least one opening therein, means to drive said table to index said opening at a web-loading station, a ball-loading station and a ball-unloading" station, means to position a web section over said opening each time it is indexed at said web-loading station, means at said ball-loading station to wrap a ball with its associated thread and pack said ball with its associated web piece within said opening with said associated web piece surrounding the bottom of said ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said opening to establish a preliminary wrap, a hollow rotating member having an open center of suflicient dimensions to allow said ball to be pushed therethrough in frictional engagement therewith,

said member being positioned below said opening and in spaced relationship with said table at said unloading station, multi-bladed constricting means coaxial with said open center and coaxial with said opening when said opening is indexed at said ball-unloading station, means at said unloading station to force said ball from said opening through said constricting means into said open center and to force a previously wrapped ball therefrom, means to thereupon momentarily close said restricting means to draw together non-ball-engaging portions of said web piece and cause said portions to twist whereby said ball is tightly wrapped by said web piece and awaits displacement from said open center by a succeeding ball to be thereby unloaded from said machine.

17. A machine for Web-wrapping return balls provided with elastic threads comprising at least one socket, open at both top and bottom, means to provide a web piece over said socket at a ball-loading station and to thereupon wrap a ball with its associated thread and pack said ball within said socket with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said socket, means to translate said socket to a ball-unloading station, and means at said ball-unloading station to complete wrapping of the ball and to position said ball for subsequent ejection from said machine by a succeeding ball.

18. A machine for web-Wrapping return balls provided with elastic threads comprising at least one socket open at both top and bottom, means to provide a Web piece over said socket at a ball-loading station and to thereupon wrap a ball with its associated thread and pack a ball within said socket with said web piece surrounding the bottom of the ball and protruding upwardly around the top rim of said socket, means to translate said socket to a ball-unloading station, twisting means at said ballunloading station to receive balls and associated web pieces and twist nonball-engaging portions of each web piece tightly around its associated ball, and means at said ball-unloading station to push said ball from said socket into said twisting means to deposit said ball and associated web piece therein and expel from said machine the ball and web just previously deposited therein.

No references cited. 

